Posts by Author

Author: Liz Benjamin

Former assistant US attorney, NYC lawyer and part-time Ulster County resident Tom Engel has decided to take the plunge and convert his exploratory committee for a potential challenge to Democratic Rep. Maurice Hinchey into a full-fledged campaign in NY-22. “I am writing you to tell you that I have filed the necessary paperwork with the …

Happy Columbus Day! There will be light blogging today (and no CapTon show tonight, for you local viewers) due to the holiday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be marching in the Columbus Day Parade in NYC at noon. He’ll be shadowed by reporters who will no doubt ask for an update about the PEF contract talks, …

A new poll shows the Erie County executive race is not shaping up to be the blowout the Republican incumbent, Chris Collins, enjoyed four years ago. Suicide-by-cop in Schenectady. Collins’ Democratic opponent, Erie County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz, is highlighting his blue-collar roots. It’s unlikely there will be natural gas drilling in Monroe County any time …

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is in NYC with no public schedule. Cuomo seemed to open the door to a three-year PEF contract, while his administration released the list of union job titles being targeted for layoffs. Meanwhile, a record 30,772 public employees retired last year, fueled by an early retirement incentive and the general age of …

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand expects Rep. Gabby Giffords to make a full recovery and seek re-election next fall, but says she has no inside information that this is definitely the congresswoman’s plan. The Solyndra scandal claims its firt victim. Former Staten Island BP Guy Molinari, who’s close to Rudy Giuliani, endorsed Mitt Romney for president. Protest …

…is another’s mark of true success. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, a Bronx Democrat, sent out a press release today to tout the fact that he finished close to dead last in his chamber in the state Conservative Party’s annual legislative rankings. The party awarded him a 16 percent rating based upon his vote on 24 key …

Mayor Bloomberg couldn’t help but take some credit for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s announcement this morning of an executive order that requires state agencies to provide free interpretation and translation services to in six languages for non-English speakers, noting he signed something similar three years ago and thus was able to provide “support and guidance” to …

I recently received an email invite from Nassau County Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs inviting me to the party’s annual fall fundraising gala on Oct. 18, which is intended to raise campaign cash to help fuel the Democrats’ effort to win back control of the local Legislature this fall. “From voting themselves pay raises to trying …

ICYMI: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who previously voiced support for President Obama’s plan to end tax breaks for inviduals and families earning $200,000 and $250,000 a year, respectively, told me on CapTon last night that she now things a true millionaire’s tax is a “better approach.” “I think that, you know, paying a higher tax rate …

If you haven’t seen this one yet, it’s worth a watch. Last night, Sean Hannity attacked Sen. Greg Ball for daring to disagree with him about Hank Williams’ Hitler analogy, warning the Hudson Valley Republican that if he ever “misspeaks,” then Hannity will call for him to be fired. Ball, as you’ll recall, is about …